ISO-certified PPC makes quality pledge

PPC Zimbabwe has been awarded the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) ISO certifications 9001:2015 and 14001:2015 in recognition of the huge strides it has made in its quality and environmental efforts.

BY TATIRA ZWINOIRA

The certificates are internationally recognised as SAZ is a member of ISO, with the accreditation being to Quality Management Systems (QMS) ZWS ISO 9001, Environmental Management Systems (EMS) ZWS ISO 14001 and Occupational Health and Safety 18001 schemes.

Speaking at the award ceremony at PPC Zimbabwe’s Msasa plant in Harare last week, SAZ director-general Eve Gadzikwa said the certifications were recognised globally.
“QMS 9001:2015 is the most readily recognised management standard in the world. This means that certification to the SAZ QMS assures conformity to globally accepted best practice in QMS. PPC should be proud of the value-addition that attainment of QMS certification will bring to the country’s internal and external stakeholders. There are numerous operational efficiencies and business gains to be realised from implementing the QMS,” she said in a speech read on her behalf by SAZ head of marketing and sales, Godfrey Dube.

“ISO 14001:2015 specifies the requirements for an EMS that an organisation can use to enhance its environmental performances. ISO 14001:2015 is intended for use by an organisation seeking to manage its environmental responsibilities in a systematic manner that contributes to the environment pillar of sustainability.”

Gadzikwa said the two systems would complement other initiatives that exist within the company and subsequently enhance the succeeding benefits.

The certifications come as PPC Zimbabwe has met the standards in the quality of its products and service, as well as environmental operations.

ISO 14001:2015 specifies the requirements for an environmental management system that an organisation can use to enhance its environmental performance.

ISO 9001:2015 specifies requirements for an organisation to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements and aims to enhance customer satisfaction.

PPC Zimbabwe managing director Kelibone Masiyane said they were very proud to have received these certifications.

“This is one milestone achieved out of several initiatives to position PPC as a world-class provider of material solutions into the Zimbabwean market and beyond. Today, consumers do not accept or tolerate slip-ups of any kind of quality, availability or anything. Perfect execution is now the price of entry. They expect more from us and more from our products, services and environmental stewardship,” he said.

“Now, to be proactive in quality, two tasks have to be accomplished. First, everyone in the organisation has to get onto the same wavelength, we must have a clear and simple language on quality so that we are all using the same words for the same things.

“Secondly, we need to get from the abstract to the concrete to move from the quality ideal to the specific procedures, processes and behaviours that produce quality.”

He said now that they had achieved these certifications, the company would jealously guard against complacency going forward.